Karen Goodlad

Karen Goodlad is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Hospitality Management at CUNY's New York City College of Technology since January 2022. She serves as Faculty Advisor to the Walt Disney World College Program and has held leadership roles including Director of the Living Lab General Education Seminar and Faculty Co-coordinator of First Year Learning Communities. Her academic work bridges hospitality management with innovative educational practices, particularly focusing on student development and pedagogical innovation.

• Department Chairperson since January 2022
• Faculty Advisor to Walt Disney World College Program
• Director of Living Lab General Education Seminar
• Faculty Co-coordinator of First Year Learning Communities
• Board member of Les Dames d'Escoffier (two terms)

Dr. Goodlad's research interests center on the intersection of hospitality education and student development. She specializes in food and beverage management while extending her expertise into educational innovation through place-based learning and first-year learning communities. Her work emphasizes high-impact educational practices, open pedagogy, and assessment techniques that enhance student learning outcomes, particularly focusing on BIPOC, first-generation, and low-income students at urban institutions.

Her scholarly work demonstrates a clear evolution from beverage management expertise toward broader educational research. Early publications focused on wine education and hospitality management, while recent work examines student transition to college, digital storytelling, and the use of natural language processing to understand student experiences. A common thread throughout her research is the application of place-based learning and the Living Lab Model of Pedagogy across disciplines, with increasing emphasis on supporting marginalized student populations.

• Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators

As an advisor, Dr. Goodlad mentors students through experiential learning opportunities including the Walt Disney World College Program and the City Tech Tea Club, which she helped establish. She serves as Faculty Advisor to the beverage professional alumni network and has contributed to scholarship committees through Les Dames d'Escoffier. Her advising philosophy emphasizes helping students 'knowledgably plan their personal path toward graduation' while developing professional traits and skills through continuous self-reflection. She has secured grant funding including the Title V Grant 'A Living Laboratory: Revitalizing General Education at a 21st Century College of Technology' (2010-2016).

Dr. Goodlad leads several significant initiatives including the 'Our Stories' digital writing project, which helps first-year students navigate college transition through reflective writing. As Director of the Living Lab General Education Seminar, she works with faculty across disciplines to incorporate high-impact educational practices into their teaching. Her work with the City Tech Tea Club demonstrates her commitment to creating spaces where students can develop professional knowledge while building community.